Easel.



0. T. SPRINGMAN. EASEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1914.

1,1 32,629; Patented Man 23, 1915.

Mu human THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, FHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT orriicn.

CHARLES-T. SPRINGMAN,.OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, i ASSIGNOR TO SPBINGMAN PAPER PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MIOHIGAN.

EASEL.

Object is to produce an easel which may be formed complete at a single stroke of a cutting die,.which shall be self-locking, and which may be made at low cost. r

This invention consists in the details of construction shown, described and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is aplan view of one form of the easel showing the parts in open position. Fig. 2 is a rear view of a completed easel before being attached to a card or other article which it is to support. Fig. 3 is a side view of the easel shown in Fig. 2 attached toa card. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectionon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a modified form of. easel in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 6 is' a side elevation of the easel shown in Fig.5.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the brace shown in Figs 5 and 6.

'Simi1ar reference characters refer to-like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, 1 indicates a blank of straw-board, wood-veneer, or other suitable material cut through along the heavy lines, and scored along the light vertical lines 2 and the horizontal line 3 toform" the front or supporting member 4, the struts oriwings 5, the brace 6 and the-tongues7. The brace 6 is,

provided on each side thereof with'an ear 8,

in the upper surface of which islformed a.

dent or depression 9. The sides of the tongues 7 may diverge from the brace, and the upper edge thereof is cut in each case in such manner as to leave the projection 11 integral with and extending downwardly from the corresponding strut or wing 5.

In use thestruts or wings are bent backwardly from the card A to-which the part 4 is cemented, along the lines 2, until they contact with the edges of the bent-down brace 6, each of the ears 8 being-received in the opening formed by bending the correve'nrs' theb ace from swinging-"up.

spondingtongue '7 outwardly. In this position, pro ect ons 11 are received in the depressions 9111 the ears 8, and the tongues 7 engage with the respective lower surface.

of the ears 8, pressing them against the proections 11, whereby withdrawal of the ears from engagement with the corresponding struts or wings is prevented.

The easel shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 com-,[

prises'a front 12, a strut or wing 13 and a brace 14, all cut from a single sheetofma'te rial, it being 'understoodthat the sheet may Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 111211. 23,1915. 7 Application filed May c, 1914. Serial No. 836,592.

be scored along the lines 15 and 16 to'allow U bending of the parts into the relative posi j tion shown in Figs. 5*and 6. The brace is" hinged to the'projection 17, which is a part of the front 12, and the said brace comprises a base 18- and a laterally projecting ear 20'," having a' depression 21 in its upper surface;- This ear is adapted to be received in an" opening leftnby forcing a tongue 22, thatcorresponds in all respects to the-tongues 7" heretofore described, laterally from the body of the strut 13, in which position the pro-1* jection 23,- corresponding to the/projections 11, is received in the depression21. A vertical section through this joint is exactly the same as the sectionshownin Fig. 4. Itwill be noticed'that, when the brace is in the positionshown, that is, in locking engagement with the strut or wing-13, the'e'd'ge of its base 18 is received beneath a shoulder '24 formed on the' strut when the" brace is sev I ered therefrom." This shoulder, therefore,

constitutes anintermediate support for "the brace; andrenders the" conne'ction between,

the front and{ the -strut more rigid than 7 would otherwise be the case, and also' pre- V It is obvious that minorchanges may be made in the easel without departing from: the spirit of my invention. I donot. there? fore, desire to belimited otherwise than :as indicated by the appended claims.

. I claim: I

1. An easel comprising a member adapted a line at substantially right angles to the line on which the strut is bendable, a tongue on the strut, said strut having an opening resulting from the forming of the :tongue,

a projection on the strut adapted to extend into said opening, a laterally extending ear on the brace adapted to be received in the opening in the strut, said ear having a depression therein to receive the projection, whereby disengagement of the strut and brace from each other is then prevented, said tongue holding the ear against said projection.

2. An easel comprising a supporting member adapted to be secured to a card, a strut on one side edge of the supporting member and bendable to a position at an angle thereto, a brace also on the supporting member and bendable to extend transversely to the strut, a tongue struck from the strut and leaving an opening therethrough, said tongue having a base along which it is secured to the strut and one edge of the opening being opposite the said base, a projection on the strut adapted to extend into the opening from the edge opposite the base, a laterally projecting ear on the brace adapted to be received in the opening in the strut, said ear having a depression. in one face thereof to receive the projection on the strut, and said tongue then contacting with the opposite face of the ear, whereby disengagement of the strut and brace from each other is prevented.

3. An easel comprising a supporting member, a strut on one side edge of the supporting member and bendable to a position at an angle thereto, a brace also on the supporting member and bendable in respect thereto about a base line at substantially right angles to the axis about which the strut is bendable, said strut having an opening therethrough, said brace comprisinga base and a laterally projecting ear, the latter of which is adapted to extend through the said opening in thestrut, and a rigid shoulder on the inner edge of the strut adapted to engage with the brace at a point intermediate the base and the ear.

4:. An easel eomprisinga supporting member, a strut on one side edge of the supporting member and bendable to a position at an angle thereto, a brace also on the supporting member and bendable in respect thereto about a base line at substantially right angles to the axis about which the strut is bendable, a tongue struck from the strut and leaving an opening therethrough, said tongue having a base along which it unites with the strut and one, edge of the opening being opposite the said base, a projection on the strut adapted to extend into the opening from the edge opposite the base, a laterally projectingear on the brace adapted to be received in the opening in the strut, said ear having a depression in one face thereof in which the projection on the strut may be received, said tongue then contacting with the opposite face of the ear, whereby disengagement of the strut and brace from each other is then prevented, and a shoulder on the strut adapted to engage with the brace at a point intermediate the base and the ear.

5. An article of manufacture, comprising three portions, the first a sheet, the second another sheet on one side edge of the first mentioned sheet and bendable to a position at an angle thereto, the third a brace also on the first mentioned sheet and bendable in respect thereto on a line at substantially right angles to the line on which the second portion is bendable, said second portion having an opening, a projection on the second portion adapted to extend into the opening, a laterally projecting ear on the brace adapted to be received in the opening in the second portion, said ear having a depression in one face thereof in which the projection may be received, whereby disengagement of the second portion and the brace from each other is then prevented.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. T. SPRINGMAN. l/Vitnesses HUGO "W. KREIN RING, L. M. SPENCER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

' Washington, D. C. i 

